Has anyone switched over from 9mm to 40?

[queevil]

The title says it all. I'm sure we've all read about the FBI making the switch and how the increased recoil and muzzle blast of the .40 is no longer worth it with the increase in bullet technology. I'm thinking of selling my K40 Covert and getting a K9. As much as I like the Covert, I really like a grip that I can get all of my fingers on. I used to have a K40 non Covert and it seemed a bit more controllable. That small issue combined with that fact that I could get an extra round of capacity with the K9 and even more control makes me think about the 9mm very seriously. I've been shooting. 40 for well over a decade.
Make no mistake, the Covert is an excellent well made weapon. It's ridiculously accurate. It isn't painful or uncomfortable to shoot, but sometimes I think it's more of a handful than it needs to be.

So, has anyone made the switch? If so, are you glad that you did?

[queevil]

Oh, and although it may well turn into one, this isn't meant to be a caliber debate.

[b4uqzme]

I switched from 9mm to .40sw back during the last ammo pinch. .40sw was available at reasonable prices when 9mm could not be found. My decision had nothing to do with ballistics. They are both good rounds IMHO. Since then I've added .45acp and .380 to my semi-auto collection. You never know what the future holds.

[WMac19]

I carry my PM40 just as often as my PM9. Love both guns and respect both rounds. I'm not very likely to choose between them. PM45 is on the way, my first .45, maybe it'll cause me to reevaluate down the road, can't be sure.

[DanTana]

I bought .40 for the same reason as b4uqzme. I couldn't find 9mm and when I did it was in limited quantities, .40 was in stock in abundance then and so it was an easy decision. I don't regret it, although 9mm is a little softer to shoot, but I find .40 very accurate and a very powerful round as well. I have a CM9 I bought when ammo was getting back in stock, I seem to feel the recoil a little more in the lighter pistol (of course) than when I shoot my .40 Sig P229, or even my M&P Pro .40. The only minor drawback with .40 vs 9mm is cost. You do pay a little extra for the more powerful cartridge.

[Pointblank]

I like and use both, as well as .45 acp, 38 Special, 357 Magnum and even 32 acp (Keltec P32) as a BUG.

[JohnR]

I never fell for the .40 siren song in the first place. I didn't see any reason to step down from .45

[berettabone]

I shoot 9mm, .40, and ,45............................................... .40 is still my favorite.................I guess I don't notice all of that "excessive" recoil.................

[queevil]

All valid points. Yes, I was glad to be a .40 shooter during the ammo shortage. 9mm was up to $50/for UMC or WWB. I was able to get .40 for less than half of that.

To me, .40 recoil isn't bad, especially in a pistol like a Glock 22 or 23 or a full size XD. I shoot the Covert well.

Thanks for all of your replies so far.

[TheTman]

I picked up a .40 from a friends estate. A very nice Beretta Cougar .40. Very reliable and accurate. It has about a 3 3/4 inch barrel, about the same as the CW40. Holds 10+1 or 11+1. I did get a couple mags that were 12+1, but not real confident in them with the full 12. One instructor told the class that on double stack mags, it's best to leave one shy of full capacity for better feeding and reliablity. On single stacks fill em up full. Haven't had any problems filling my double stacks full, except for the 12 round Beretta .40 are awfully tight with 12.
I thought I might as well have a couple .40's so I bought the CW40 as my CC weapon. You can tell it's loaded a bit hotter than your standard 9mm. I put the ported barrel in the CW40 to help with the muzzle flip, it does some good. Not a whole lot, but some. Either cartridge is fine with me, but I prefer the .45, or 44 special in a revolver.

Anyone else ever been told that info about loading double stacks 1 shy of full capacity? Or not topping off the mag after a round is chambered?

[b4uqzme]

...Anyone else ever been told that info about loading double stacks 1 shy of full capacity? Or not topping off the mag after a round is chambered?

Yes, I've heard that also and it certainly makes sense...at least to try if you experience feeding problems. It hasn't been necessary for anything I've owned...yet. First time I heard it the operator recommended only loading 29 in your 30 round AR mags.

[Redstate]

I got rid of my .40's and now only have 9mm and .45 for semi auto center fire pistols (except my .380 Kel Tec P3At).

[wyntrout]

I really went from .45 to .40 with my P40... my first .40. I had always heard that the recoil was too fierce. When my retiring LEO younger brother visited us I took him to the range and I shot one magazine through his compact XD40 of some kind... not such a big deal with recoil.

I went from the PM9 to the PM45 to the Mag-na-ported P40 that I bought used here on the Market Place. It's my main carry and has an XS Big Dot front night sight and rear two-dot Trijicon NS. They aren't matched for point of aim, but I like them. I was trying to get the Trijicon HD NS effect.

I carry the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 180-gr rounds for SD and also have the 180-gr Bonded Remington Golden Sabers as well.

I prefer the P-sized Kahrs now for carry... after I changed the magazine base plates to the all-steel ones... black, of course... and added O-rings to stop the pinches!

Wynn

[ltxi]

I don't mind the recoil, per se, of the .40. The sharp, high peak pressure curve of it just makes it unacceptably hard for me to control combat shooting in small, lightweight guns. I converted my G27 to 9mm for that reason. My G23, tho, I shoot quite well.

Raised on 38/357 and 45 ACP, my preference in centerfire handgun cartridges these these days is for 38/357 in revolvers and 9mm and 45 in semi-auto pistols.

[muggsy]

I heard that the FBI recently switched back to allow their agents to carry the 9mm. Too, many of their female agents couldn't handle the recoil of the .40 cal and couldn't qualify with them because of that. I think that anyone should be able to shoot anything they want to shoot, but shoot, that's too easy.